


spectral colors

by thiefexp



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Found Family, Gen, generally warm rgb trio + kliff family shenanigans, mentions towards child abandonment and neglect, three losers unofficially then officially adopt a kid let's see how well that goes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-14 16:32:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13011735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thiefexp/pseuds/thiefexp
Summary: snippets out of a life where forsyth takes in a recently abandoned kliff. the fact of he, python, and lukas making a disastrous yet somehow (barely) functional and supportive trio in mind, this family makes for something odd, yet irreplaceable all the same.





	spectral colors

**Author's Note:**

> this began as something i just imagined a few weeks, maybe months ago, and now we're here. impulse-writing and editing a fic in one night. 
> 
> i wanted to do something kliff centered but didn't know what to for a while, so luckily seeing forsyth with kliff inspired a family au since from what we hear about his mother in game, she isn't... the best. i guess this is my solution for that!
> 
> (oh, ftr. kliff's ten, a while after what still is the attempted kidnapping incident with celica, while the rgb trio is their canon ages.)
> 
> i hope you enjoy!

“Now stay here. I’ll be back for you in just a bit.”

Kliff’s mother smiles at him, same as always; her lips curling up a bit too much, too sweet for his taste. He tries to ignore the false sentiment behind it, and gives a small nod.

He sits himself on one of the library’s steps, its warm light from inside easing his antsiness, if just a little. He opens one of his books, and tries to ignore the ongoing gentle snowfall.

When he feels the weight of the book in his lap, he remembers his friends’ look of childlike wonder in at the sight, even if it’s just one of those high-level books— a high school level book.

_ Childlike? _ No, that’s not right. They’re still children; definitely still very much under the category of childish, therefore childlike.

Kliff guesses that this is just a regular thing for him now; talking like he’s older than everyone else, or even the same age as them, even when he’s the youngest and smallest of them all.

The reminder does little more than cause his lips to press into a thin line, as he trains his gaze firmer at the words on his lap.

At least, that worked for a while — like say, twenty seconds. Because as soon as he immerses himself, as soon as he forgets, a loud, much too peppy voice causes Kliff’s train of thought to go off track and into a resulting cognitive wreck.

“Hello, good morning!” Some man greets him. 

_ He’s like a tree, _ Kliff thinks. Fitting, given his height and hair color (predictably, a rather light, if dull shade of green); even without a height chart, Kliff could tell this man was some kind of monolith or something similar.

He stares at him for a second, before going right back to his book.

When the man goes inside, still smiling, Kliff tries to forget the small twinge of guilt that he feels immediately after.

_ He must get this a lot, from how smilely he is. _

_ ( That’s not even a word. ) ( Can it. ) _

It doesn’t matter. Shouldn’t.

Besides, there’s no need to worry. Mother’s coming back soon.

Isn’t she?

* * *

9:45

Kliff draws his legs in closer, focuses on the words a little harder. Mother’s coming back. Mother always does.

* * *

13:28

With the passing of another hour, knots and knots tied themselves in Kliff’s lungs. He’s asking himself tons of questions that he neither likes nor has the answer to, as if it will pass the time faster.

_ ( Where is Mother? )  _

_ ( I don’t know. ) _

_ ( Why do I miss her? )  _

_ ( I don’t know. ) _

_ ( Why do I care? Why doesn’t she? )  _

_ ( I don’t know. ) _

_ ( Why do I want her here? I thought we established this — I don’t want her, why do I miss her, why am I so scared— Why, why  _ **_why — )_ **

Thoughts aren’t supposed to have voices, but for a reason that Kliff can’t name, he can imagine that his “voice” would break here, now.

* * *

19:57

Kliff sniffles, ignoring the light weight of dried tears near his eyes. 

He looks to the sun, and sees it in nestling down in the west.

_ It’s late, _ he thinks bitterly.

He takes in a shaky breath and ignores the pain in his stomach, and the ache in his head that comes with.

His book still sits in his lap, but closed now. He’s too worried to read, or rather, just distract himself, but too tired to be panicking all the same.

At some point, the familiar ring of the library’s door pulls him out of his thoughts. He notes that it’s the same tree-man from earlier.

“Hello again!” he greets him, still much too  _ perky _ and much too  _ warm _ for Kliff’s taste; a little milder, maybe a little quirkier, pluckier, he’d say he reminds him of Alm. 

It’s probably the green hair doing that for him.

Kliff this time offers him a small wave, previous guilt in mind. “H...Hello,” he says back.

He raises his eyebrows. “You greeted me this time, good!” Tree-man gives a laugh, and Kliff doesn’t find himself as tense as before. If anything, with what this day’s been, it’s comforting. Ironically, he’s kind of like a fireplace.

He nods, and the man blinks at him for a moment before looking like a realization had hit him through a window like a stone.

“Isn’t it rather late? You were here earlier, correct? All day, as well, seeing from where you still are...” Tree-man pauses, and thinks. “Do you have anyone looking after you?”

Kliff nods again. “A mother.” He takes in another breath.  _ Keep calm, keep calm. It’s fine. Don’t fall apart just because one stranger’s showing you concern. It’s weird, but… Harmless. Maybe. Probably not. I hope not. _ “She said she would come back in a bit, but...” Well, the clock should speak for itself.

“Ah.” The other looks towards the ground in thought, but looks back at Kliff soon enough. “Would you perhaps have anywhere to stay? Any relatives, home to go to…?”

This time, Kliff can only shake his head. “We only visit the city sometimes,” he says towards the snow covered ground. “So I don’t know — I don’t know my way around here.”

He feels the knots in his lungs again and just wants to make himself smaller. “S-Sorry, just…” Kliff exhales and frowns. “Forget it. She’ll probably…” He shakes his head. “Probably come back soon.”

The man returns his frown, furrowing his brows in thought. After a moment, he gives a small smile. How he does it despite the situation is beyond him. “There’s no need to apologize! If you’d like... “ He beams even brighter, so Kliff’s confusion’s only doubled. “If you’d like, you could stay with me, at least for awhile! Until your mother returns.”

Kliff blinks at him, and gives him a look. “How? I don’t even know you.”

“Well, for starters, my name is Forsyth! Now you know one thing about me, besides appearances!”  _ So peppy. _

“And, yes, I suppose I am that as well!” It takes a moment for the realization to sink in that Kliff said that aloud.

“Ack! Ugh,  _ s-sorry _ — just —”

Forsyth laughs, and Kliff suddenly wants to sink into the ground even more than ever. 

“It’s fine, it’s fine! No worries! But yes, I’m perfectly fine with you staying with me! I’m sure my roommates will understand as well.”

“Roommates?”

“Yes. They’re both rather pleasant! ...Or at least Lukas is!”

“...Huh.”

“I promise! Even if it’s just for a little while, we can make it work out.”

Kliff finds himself fighting a smile, a part of him close to believing Forsyth’s words. 

“What do you say, er...?” Forsyth pauses. “What is your name, young man?”

“Kliff,” he says simply. “And…” Deep breaths now. Big choice here.  “Sure,” he says finally, giving a grin much too wry for such a small age. “It’s not like I have someplace to go, right?”

“Splendid!” Forsyth beams, as if reinforcing his grin all the more. “Let’s head home. I’ll have fix up something for you to eat, and I’ll discuss the situation with the other two once we get there.”

Kliff nods. “Right.” He stands up from where he sat. “Sounds good.”

“Right! Let’s be off then, shall we?”

They walk along the sidewalk in a city that Kliff knew only from drives in, through, and out, to three or so places at most. The skyscrapers tower over him, as if glaring down, and he isn’t sure how Forsyth, Lukas, and whoever their not-so-pleasant roommate is can handle this every day.

The thought pops into his head that this may turn into his own everyday, and he shakes his head at the thought.

It’s stupid. Ridiculous, definitely, to think that he could dream to find his home with three strangers, when he didn’t even have one with his own mother.

It shouldn’t hurt to try, though, as he finds himself walking to a maybe-future home with Forsyth.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> a few things:  
> \- i do imagine kliff definitely being the kind of kid who knows words that even a few adults don't; even if his speech is pretty casual in-game, he still latches onto and comprehends info p easily.  
> \- for anyone who's curious, forsyth's a police officer in this au :'0 p new onto the force too, at that. lukas is a teacher, and python is... python. in other words i've still yet to decide
> 
> catch me on my [twitter](https://twitter.com/reversedlovers) for updates and more fe bullshit :'0


End file.
